will_scarlett | Sherwood Plot-Second Team

The boys get subtle support in the form of ice shields and power drives, invisible to the naked eye but very valuable if things get ugly for Will and Doc.

But other than that, Mia is doing nothing but hiding in the tree.

Doc gets an idea (which might be a stupid one but hey, he really wouldn't mind putting this guy in his place) and he stutters a bit.

"A-a-a-tree, sir, t'was movin' 'bout. Startled t'horses."

Which explains why even with his 'attempts' to get them to go (the brake on the cart is still in place) they don't.

"Moving trees, Lord above another fool. I will ride beside ye fools."

Will gives a little bow and another frightened glance, trying to hide worry.

Mia holds her breath, the only movement of the tree being the breeze through the branches.

She's waiting to see if she should make a move with it. It's hard to do such a thing subtly, so it has to be effective quickly.

Hey, the rider is pretty close to the branches...

That he is.

The horses don't like this, not at all, ears pinned back and fear as they stamp their feet.

Doc nods his head (though it's more a sign to Mia than to the man) and then glances over at Will.

"Aye, thank you sir."

"Now move, let's get out of this cursed place."

The rider puts his heels to his horse and goes forward, doing his best to hide his worry with arrogance.

He's not quick enough.

The tree suddenly swoops down and snatches the rider up from his horse, giving him a good shake.

"Is that enough or should I wait until he begs for mercy?" she asks the boys.

Doc tosses the reins at Will. "Hold those," he orders, before he hops off of the cart and approaches the man's finely armored horse and grabs at those reins, keeping hold of the animal (who is frankly a bit too confused and bogged down in the mud to do a damn thing other than rear up at him, but he doesn't kick) to keep the horse from bolting.

"Not sure," he says, playfully. "Perhaps just keep him wrapped up 'till we get a chance t'check the cart? If this isn't the one, we can send 'im on with it t'run back for help."

And they'll be long gone, by then.

"Easy," he urges the mount, hand going to stroke the animal's jaw. "Easy."

The rider is cursing at them through the tree as Will just grins,

"Oh aye, I like that idea, let's get checkin' the chest then."

Will hops to the back of the cart, pulling off the coverings and starts working at the lock with his knife.

"Whatever you say," Mia replies.

The tree starts swinging the rider carnival ride style.

"Oh hush," she tells the rider. "You don't know how easy you have it. No megalomaniacs trying to take over the world, no moving fortresses, not even the occasional gorgon. A person could go soft staying here too long."

If Doc looks absolutely gleeful at the sight of the rider being swung back and forth, slow arcs that will probably make him quite ill after awhile...well that's because he is.

He likes this horse, as well, and is careful to step them both out of the mud a bit, towards the trees, where he can find a strong and sturdy one to tie the long reins off.

"S'alright," he murmurs, to the steed. "Git you out of here once we take care'a the rest of the business."

The animal snorts at him, hot breath breezing over his face, and he strokes the underside of his jaw again before he heads back to see if Will needs his help.

The chest is well locked but Will has some ideas so he keep twisting his knife,

"Tis a start, 'elp me pull it open."

"I could try blasting the chest open without touching the contents," Mia offers from the tree, still happily swinging the rider to and fro.

"I...would suggest y'get back then, Will."

If Will ends up hurt, he doubts Kate will be too happy, and the same goes for Katherine. Though she's likely going to fuss over his eye, but at least it's stopped bleeding.

Doc's already backing up a bit.

Will's only bleeding a bit from a few cuts, as he moves away,

"Aye, do what ye can, Mia."

She hops down from the tree, still giving the rider a good shake, and focuses on the chest. Just the chest.

Then, carefully, with great concentration, she gently blasts off panels of the chest with her fire bomb spell.

Doc is impressed. As if the tree frolicking in the water wasn't enough, now there's fire bombs taking the chest apart. He moves to the front of the cart, which is out of the line of fire (literally) and keeps an eye on the pair of large horses.

The cart taking off would not be helpful in this situation.

As the chest falls apart, all that falls out are river rocks and Will curses,

"Bloody 'ell, tie 'em up an we'll send this back to 'em. Though Doc ye should keep 'is 'orse an we can get 'em out o''is armor."

"I'm sorry, Will," she replies, a hand on his shoulder.

Forgetting, for the moment, that the rider is still being flung around.

"One of the others will get it," he assures him, as he draws the sword and points it up at the man who's still being swung around in the tree, now rather sore and queasy.

"Get 'im down and we'll take his armor and his weapons, tie him and send him on down the road."

The horses are well trained, and should follow the path if startled and allowed to run.

"Oh aye, means one o'the others will 'ave the tax then."

He leaves the wagon and pats the cart horses.

Mia brings the rider down from the tree, who's likely too dizzy and sick to do much of anything.

"You can take that tree back to where we got it," she says, and the tree does start walking back to its spot.

Doc gives the tree a half wave/salute in gratitude (even if it was Mia's magic that did it, he figures Sherwood had something in the matter and it's always good to be polite) as it walks off.

The rider really is too dizzy.

"Will, can you handle him while I go find my crossbow?"

It's just up a nearby tree.

"Oh aye, course I can."

Will's just grinning and bows to the tree.

Mia halfway leans on her staff.

"Well, this was pretty fun. Not really what I was expecting, but fun."

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